Excavating machine



March 4 .1924. H 5, A, KRUPP EXCAVATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed-Jufie 4, 1921 March 4 1 924.

1,485,858 L. A. KRUPP v EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed June 4, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet "f I a 5 INVENTUR L.A. KRUPP EXCAVATING MACHINE File d June 4, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTUR March 4 1924. 1,485,858

L. A. KRUPP EXCAVATING MACHINE 1 Filed June 4, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENT 13H.

Patented Mar. 4, 1924.

carves srarss r caries- LEO A. KRUPP, or FINDLAY, OHIO.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

Application filed June 4;

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, LEO A. KRUPP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of 'Findlay, in the county of Hancock and State nying drawings, and to the characters of ref erence marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates ,to excavating machines and particularly to those of the open trench diggingtype.

An object of the invention is the provision of a machine of the class described having a bucket or shovel type of excavating member which is operable to dig'atrench at the rear of the machine, which feature is of considerable advantage in digging open trenches either of the narrowtype for receiving tile or of the open wider ditch type.

A further object of the invention is the provision, in a machine of the class described, of a bucket or shovel which is opera ble to entirely clean itself at each load clumping operation so that if operating in clay or other stiff gummy soil the entire load will be discharged from the bucket when dumping. i

A further object of the invention is the provision of a simple and efiicient machine of the class described which may be used for back filling as well as for excavating purposes. is the provision, in combination with a boom having a swinging type of excavating bucket attached thereto, of a sight-arm carried by the boom to enable a ditch of predetermined grade to be dug.

Further objects and advantages of the machine residein the efiicient and simple bucket and boom control means and in other features thereof, as will appear more fully from the following detailed description.

While the invention, in its broader aspect, is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,--

Figure l is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention, with the boom shown in full lines in lowered digging posi axial opening therethrough A further object of the invention 1921. Serial No. 474,882.

, tion and in dotted lines in raised' dumping position. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof with parts broken away and removed. Fig.

3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of.

the machinewith' parts in section. Fig. 4: is an enlarged side elevation of the excavating bucket anda portion of its carrying means with parts broken away. Fig. 5.is a top plan viewthereof, and-Fig. 6 is a rear end elevation of the machine with the boom broken away and with parts removed.-

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the frame of the machine tractor which is I supported at its front by whee]s,2,mounted to' have steering movements,- and at its rear, 1n the present instance, by tractor wheels 3 of the apron or tread belt type, as is common in machines ofthis character. frame 4 rises from the rear end of the frame 1 and is braced'longitudinally of themechine by bracing members 5 extending from the top of the frame 4 forward and downward to the sides of the frame 1; 6 designates a canopy over the machine frame.

A vertically disposed mast 7, comprising two laterally spaced upright members rigidly connected together at their ends, is mount-. ed at the rear of the upright frame 4 for horizontal turning movements, and for such purpose is provided with journals at its ends, the upper one being mounted in a bearing bracket 8 projecting rearwardly from the top of the upright frame 4 cen-.

trally thereof and the lower one havingan and being mounted in a bearing 0 provided in the rear crossmember 10 of the frame 1. The boom 11 carrying the excavating shovel or bucket projects rearwardly from the machine and is pivotally connected at its inner endto the An upright lower end portion of the mast 7 for vertical.

swinging movements relative thereto and for horizontal swinging movements therewith relative to the machine frame. The boom '11 in its present construction comprises a pair of horizontally spaced beams rigidly connected together b cross members at suitable points longitudinally thereof.

The raising and lowering movements of the boom 11 are controlled by a cable 12, which is connected at one end to the forward end portion of the boom through-a bail member 13 pivoted at its forward end to side plates near the forward end portion of the boom for vertical pivotal movements relative thereto. The cable 12 extends upward and a sheave 17 secured to the upper portion ofthe mast? and downwardly therefrom below i the lower end of the mast 7 through its lower journal and thence under a sheave 1-8, the axis of which is in'a horizontal plane and disposed diagonally of the machine frame. The cable 'after passing under the sheave 18 extends upward therefrom over a sheave 19, mounted-on the upper portion of the upright frame 4, and thence downwa d and forward to a clutch controlled drum 20 mounted on a shaft 21 j-ournaled-in the ma.- chine frame 1 cross-wise thereof.

. The side swinging movements of the boom 11 are controlled by two cables 22 and 23 connected respectively to the right and left sides of the boom (looking rearward from the machine frame) near the outer end thereof. Each of these'cables passes for- Ward between a pair of vertically disposed rolls 24 mounted at the respective outer side portion of the upright frame 4, and thence passes over a respective sheave 25 and forward and downward therefrom with the cable 22 connected to and winding on a clutch controlled drum 26 and with the cable 23 connected to and winding on a clutch controlled drum 27, both drums being mounted on the outer extended ends 0 the shaft 21.

The bucket or shovel 28 of the 'machine' in which one of the primary features of the invention resides, is of scoop form and. has,

in the present instance, triangular shaped sides with its connecting bottom portion curved in an arc struck from near the apex portion of the bucket sides, The bucket is provided at its forward end with a cutting nose 29 and has its rear or back side closed by a wall 30. A carrying-arm 31 is fixed to downward from the outer end portion of the boom Hand is secured thereto in the present instance'by the side plates 14.

- A cleaningvblade 34 is pivotedatits up- 'per end within the upper apex portion 0 the bucket on a shaft 35niounted therein and extends at its free end to near the curved bottom of the bucket for swinging movements concentric thereto. This blade is adapted to lie in close substantially parallel.

relation to the-back 30 of'the bucket and to be moved from such position to near the open front side of the bucket to efiect a cleaning or ejection of material therefrom.- The blade has a control arm 36 projecting upward and rearward .on an incline from the blade axis,- when the blade is in normal position adjacent to the back 30, as shown by full lines in Fig. 4. i

The digging cable 37 isconnected "at the i bucket end thereof to the arm 36 of the cleaning blade, thence extends forward therefrom to one of a pair of sheaves 38 mounted between arms 39 projecting upward from .the upper end portion of the bucket in line with and forming an extension of the back 30 thereof. The cable thence extends up over one of a pair of sheaves 40 on the boom, and thence downand around the other sheave 38, the cable then extends up over the other sheave of the pair 40 around the rear side thereof and thence forward over a sheave 41 at the lower end portion of the mast 7 down through the center of the mast under a sheave 42 at the lower end thereof and up over a sheave 43, the cable then extending forward under and around the control drum 44 to which it is attached The dumping cable 45 is connected at its bucket end to the cleaning blade arm 36,

thence extends downward to near the lower end of the bucket back and around a sheave 46 secured to' the back, and thence upward over a sheave 47 on the outer end of the boom .11 and forward therefrom around a she-ave 48 carried by the mast 7 at its lower end at a side of the sheave 41. The cable 45 passes downward from the sheave 48 through the center of the mast 7 to a point below the same where it passes under a sheave 49 then upward therefrom over a sheave 50 and forward underand around a control drum 51 to which it is secured. The sheaves 42 and'49are carried at. the under side ofthe cross-beam 10 of the frame 1 with their axes disposed lengthwise of the frame, and .thef'sheaves 43 and '50 are mounted in suitable brackets on top of the cross-beam 10 jwith their axes cross-wise of the frame. The drums 44 and 51 are loosely mounted on a shaft .52 and each has clutch controlled connection therewith;

It is evident that a drawing in of the digging cable 37 will shorten the space between the forward side of the bucket and the boom 11 and cause the bucket to have a forward and upward swinging digging movement,

' and that the pull .on the cable will exert a forward pull on the arm 36 of the cleaning f blade to retain the blade at the limitof its rearward movement. When it is desired to dump the bucket the digging cable 37 is released and permitted to pay out while the dumping cable 45 is drawn in causing a rearward and upward swinging of the buck- I 2 et to the dumping position shown at' the extreme left dotted line position of the bucket in Fig. 1, and at the same time the dumpin cable exerts a rearward and downward pu l on the arm 36 of the cleaning blade causing a forward swinging of the blade to effect aposit ve discharge of thebucket contents. I J

The motor 53 of the machine ismounted on the forward end of the frame 1 and has its shaft 54' extending rearward to. a transmission case 55 from which a coun-tershaft 56 projects. This shaft carries a gear 57 in mesh with a larger gear 58 on the shaft 21, thegeai 57 being shiftable into and out of engagement with; the gear 58. A set of .loose turning connection with the hub of the gear wheel 60 and'is in threaded connection with a bearing 63 fixed to the frame 1. It'is thus evident that a turnin of the sleeve 62 in one direction or the other will move the clutch member of the gear into A sprocket wheel 64 is in driving connection or out of engagement-with its companion.

' thru a chain (shown in dotted line) with be sufficient for all.

the ring sprocket-wheel of a differential gearing 65 mounted on the sections of a jack-shaft 66, each shaft section having driving connection at its outer end with the respective tread belt 3 thru a chain and sprocket wheel connection 67 (Fig. ,1). It is evident that a slow tractive movement, such as desired when digging, may be imparted to the machine when the gears 57 and 58 are in mesh and the clutch 61 is in engagement, and that a faster tractive movement for road traction may be imparted to the machine when the gears 59 and 60 are in mesh and the clutch 67 in engagement.

The drums 20, 26, 27, 44 and 51 are all loose on their respective shafts and engaged thereto by similar clutch means so that a description of the clutch control for one will The drum 20 for instance, has the female member of a cone clutch 68 secured thereto, the male member of the clutch being fixed to the shaft. A worm-sleeve 69 has rotatable connection with the outer end of the drum for axial movement therein and is'threaded in a bearing sleeve 70 fixed to the frame 1, whereby a turning of the work sleeve within the bearing sleeve will .move the drum clutch member into or out of engagement with its companion. The movements 'of the worm-sleeve 69 are controlled by a hand lever 71 mounted on a rock shaft 72 having a rocker-arm 73 connected by a rod 74 to a rocker-arm 75 on a rock shaft 76, which is journaled crosswise of the frame i i-advance of the shaft 21. A rocker-arm 77,011 the shaft 76 is connected. by a rod 78to a. rocker-arm 79 on theworm-sleeve 69. The brake-bandSO for the drum 20 iscontrolled by the rocking ofa shaft8l, and t red 82 connects a rocker-arm on-theshafts S1 to a control-lever. S3 loosely mounted on the shaft 72. A hand lever. 83 .;controls the clutches of the drums 26 and 27 and for such purpose is mounted on a rock-shaft 84 and'has a rocker-arm 85- at; one end in connection through a rod 86 with a rocker. arm on the worm-sleeve of the drum 26, while the other end of'thcshaft 84- hasa rocker arm '87 in connection. through a rod 88 with istqocker-arm on the worm-sleeve of the drum27, the connection between the shaft 84 and drums being such that-a rocking of the shaft in one-direction will re lease the clutch engagement of one drum and-engage the other and a reverse action will take 'placeupon a rocking of the shaft in the opposite direction. Sleeves 1 89 and 90- are loosely mounted 011 opposite end portions of the shaft 84, one being. con trolled by a hand-lever 9-1 and being in operative connection through a rod; 92 with the brake-hand of the drum 26, while the other sleeve 90 is controlled by ahand-lever93 and is in operative connection. with the brake-band of the drum 27 through a rod 94. The brake-band for the tractive controlling clutch 61 is controlled by the rocking of a shaft 95, which has a.v rocker-arm that is connected by a rod 96 to a control lever 96 loose on the shaft 72.

The clutches of the digging drum 44 and dumping drum. 51 are controlled from a rock-shaft 97 having a control lever 98, the

shaft having connection throu h a rod 99 and suitable rocker-arms witi the worm sleeve of the drum 44, and having conneo tion through a rod 100 and suitable rocker arms with the worm sleeve of the drum51.

A rod 101 connects the brake-band of the drum 44 with a control lever 101*.loose on the shaft 97, and a rod 102 connects the brake-band of the drum 51 with a controllever 102 loose on the shaft 97. The dumping drum' 51 is preferably larger than the digging drum 44 so that a niore rapid dumpmg movement than digging movement may.

be imparted to the bucket. The shaft 52 is driven from the shaft 21through apair of gears 103' and 104 carried respectively thereby. V g

A sight standard 105 pivotally rises from the outer end portion of the boom 11, having a common pivot, in the present instance, with the bail 13 and having a weight 107 at its lower end to adapt it to normally stand in perpendicular position. This standard has a sight-arm 106 projecting laterally therefrom and adjustable lengthwise of the standard to suit the work .to be performed.

In the operation of the machine, the boom 11 is lowered by a paying out of the cable 12 from the drum 20 to place the bucket 28in proper digging position at the bottom of a trench and the dumping drum 51 i then released from its shaft and the digging drum 44 engaged to its shaft to cause ashortening of the digging cable 37 and a consequent forward and upward drawing ofthe bucket through'the arc of a circle to take a slice of soil from the forward end wall of the trench being dug. During this digging operation the pull of the digging cable 37 on the bucket is exerted in part on the arm 36 of the cleaning blade 34 to hold the blade, in it retracted position.-

When the bucket has completed its cut the boom 11 is raised by throwing the drum 20 into operation and thereby effecting a shortening of the cable 12. When the boom. has been raised to elevate the bucket above the trench it may be swung to dumping position at the right or left of the trench by engaging one or the other of the, boom swinging drums 26, 27 \Vhen the bucket is in dumping position the holding brake for the drum 44 is releasedto permit a paying out of the digging cable '37, and the clutch for ,thedumplng'drum v51 is engaged to cause a drawing in of the dumping cable 45 and a consequent rearward and upward swinging of the bucket to dumping position. At the same time the pull of the cable 45 on the arm 36 of the cleaning bladecauses a swinging of the blade to the forward end of the bucket to. efie'ct an ejection of all matter from the bucket. The boom is then swung back to position over the. trench and ,low-

- ered to digging position by proper control of the'swinging cables 22, and hoisting cable 12, the proper digging level being found'by sighting across and aligning it with sight stakes placed along the line of' the trench;' This'places the bucket in digging operation for the next cut and the digging and dumping are then carried on as before. The machine may be advanced at will by throwing in the advancing connection betweenthe motor and tractor members.-

It .is' evident thatfl the machine may bequickly operated to filland "dump the bucket; that :it is effectively and vautomatically cleaned ateach dumping operation of any, material vwhich might have a tendency to stick therein,"and that the machine may be used to advantage for back fillin purposes, alth'oughit is primarily inten ed-for use as an excavating machine.

It is also evidentthat the; bucket may be of.any width or shape desired to adapt it for digging trenches of difi'e'rent widths and nism for the various cables, as numerous the sight arm 106 aasasea that a straight bottom trench, which is perfectly level, or inclined if desired, ma be dug the same as with an excavatin mac ine of the bucket-wheel or endless buc et chain type due to the sight-arm feature on the boom andthe pivotally connecting of thebucket with the boom so that its swinging arc is always of fixed radial length with respect to the boom.

It will be understood that while the invention is not limited to the specific arrangement and construction of the parts and combination of elements, shown and described, or to the particular control mechachanges may be made without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. In a machine of-the class described, a bucket having an open front and closed back disposed in lines diverging downward and outward from the top portion of the bucket and having 7 an outwardly curved closed bottom and a cleaner blade pivotally disposed inthe bucket for movements front and back of the bucket and having its pivot disposed adjacent to the top of the bucket and substantially concentric to the curve of 9B" i the bottom. I v

2. In combination, a boom, a bucket car ried thereby for swinging, digging and p Y dumping movements, a cleaner member movably carried by the bucket, and separate means operable to impart digging and dumping movements to the bucket and connected to the cleaning member to retain the member"in retracted position at the rear 7 of the bucket during digging movements thereof and to impart bucket cleaning movements to the member when the dumping means is acting on the bucket to move it to dumping position. v

3.. In combination, aboom', an excavating 11o bucket swingingly carried by the, boom, a cleaning member pivotally carried by the bucket, means including a cable connected to the bucket and to the member and operable to impart digging movements to the bucket and simultaneously act on th member to retain it in retracted position in the bucket, and means including a cable connected to the bucket and to the member and operable to swing the bucket todump- 2 'ing position and simultaneously impart bucket cleaningmovement to the cleaning member. n a t 4.1 In combination, a support, anexcavating bucket swingingly suspendedtherefrom, a cleaner member movably mounted in the bucket, a cable connecting theisupport and bucketand operableto i'mp'a'rt' digging movements to the bucket and connected to the cleaner member to normally retain it in re- 13g ing bucket swingingly suspended from the support, and havin a closed back-and bottom and an open out, a cleaner member pivotally mounted in the-bucket and having an arm projecting from its pivot, and two cables connecting the support and bucket and connected to the arm of the cleaner member, one cable being operable'to impart digging movements to the bucket and to normally retain the cleaner member in re-' tracted position and the other cable being the support, 'a cleaner "member movably bucket back, a cleaner member operable to impart dumping movements to the bucket and at the same time impart a bucket cleaning movement to the cleaner member.

6. In combination, a support, an excavating bucket swingingly suspended from mounted in, the bucket, and a cable con nected to the bucket and cleaner member and operable to impart dumping movements to the bucket and cleaning movements to the 'cally swinging boom, an arm rlgidly carried cleaner member.

7. In combination, a support, an excavating bucketswinginglysuspended from the support, a cleaner member pivotally mounted in the bucket and having an arm projecting from its inner pivotend, and a cable connected tothe' bucket and to the cleaner member arm and operable to simultaneously impart a dumping movement to the bucket and a vcleaning movement to. the cleaner member;

8. In an excavating machine, a boom, an

excavating bucket swingingly suspended from the boom, separate cable uide means at the upper and lower portlons of. the pivotally mounted in the bucket, separate guide means on the boom,a cable connected to the cleaner member and connectlng one gulde means of the boom to the upper guide means of the bucket and operable to impart digglng movements to the bucket and-to retainthe cleaner member in retracted position at the rear ofthe bucket, and a second cable connected to the cleaner member andex-' tending therefrom about the lower guidev means of the bucket and the other guide means of the boom and operable to impart dumping movements to the bucket and load discharging movements to the cleaner member.

9. In a machine of the class described, a tractor, a boom pivotally rojecting rearwardly from the tractor or vertical and umping movements to the horizontal swinging movements, separate means operable to'control the respective movements of the boom, an excavating'buck- -et pivotallysuspended from the boom for swlnging movements lengthwise thereof and havlng its cutting side disposed inward toward the tractor, a cleaner member pivotallycarried by the bucket, means-operable to impart digging movements to the bucket and retain the cleaner member in retracted position, and means operable to impart dumping movements to the bucket and to move the cleaner member to dis- 7 I charge a load from the bucket;

10. In a machine ofthe type described, excavating means, cleaning means, associated with the excavating means, and means common to the excavating means and to the cleaning means for imparting dumping movement to .the excavating means andcleaning movement to the cleaning means.

11. In an excavating machlne, a vertically swinging boom, an excavating bucket carried-by and pivoted at a relatively fixed point in relation to and adjacent the outer end of the boom and 'afl'ording a depth gauging means for the boom, means to operate the bucket and sight means pivotally and directly carried by the boom.

12. In an excavating machine, a vertia depth gage for the boom, and

means to operate the the lower end of the,

and disposed so as ,to be readable by the operator from the usual station of the latter. on the machine. I I 13. In an excavating machine, a vertlcally swinging boom, a bucket pivoted to the v boom, cleaning means pivoted to the bucket, means connected to said cleaning'means and also connected to the bucket to simultaneously operate each, and means for actuating said operating means to effect dump ing movement of the bucket and' simultaneously therewith cleaning movement of the cleaning means.

14. In an excavating machine, a vertically swinging boom, an excavating bucket pivoted to the boom at a relatively fixed point on the boom, and affording a depth gauging means for the boom, means to' operate the bucket, and sighting means carried in its entirety by the boom and disposed so as to be readable by the'operator from the usual station of the latter on the machine.

.Intestimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to thisspecification.

LEO A. KRUPP. 

